Golden Blocks, Dahab: dive site guide

Updated October 2026 · by Mohamed Fathy, PADI & SSI dive instructor in Dahab

Depth

5–25 m

Level

All levels

Entry

Shore

Area

South

Golden Blocks dive guide: what to expect

Golden Blocks Dahab is the northernmost of the shore dives in the Southern Oasis, roughly 10 km down the coast road from town, just before you reach Moray Garden and its little row of beach restaurants. The name comes from a pair of big hard-coral towers that climb from the sandy slope almost to the surface and glow orange-gold with the clouds of anthias swarming over them. On a sunny morning the light bouncing off the sand makes the whole place shine, so remember to look up now and then.

Diving Golden Blocks Dahab starts with one of the easiest entries on this coast: you walk in over pebbles and sand, fin down a gentle slope with seagrass off to the right, and you are already among coral. The reef is a mix of coral garden, sandy gullies and scattered pinnacles. Local guides talk about three 'pathways' running down the slope, one of them shaped like a small canyon, and the third leading to a large gorgonian sea fan at around 22 metres that marks the deep end of most recreational dives here. You may also spot the remains of a sunken pedalo, which the local joke calls Dahab's only wreck.

Because the bay is well sheltered from the northerly wind and swell, Golden Blocks is a favourite when the northern sites are too choppy. It works perfectly for Open Water courses, refresher dives and newly certified divers, yet there is plenty for experienced divers and photographers too: glassfish and anthias around the towers, groupers tucked under table corals in the shallows, nudibranchs on the reef and the odd eagle ray or tuna cruising past in the blue.

The classic plan is a relaxed loop out to the towers and the gorgonian and back to the entry. If conditions are good and air allows, we often turn it into a drift south along the reef to Moray Garden, roughly 100 metres away, and climb out there for tea and lunch. It is a long, gentle dive, so we keep an eye on gas and no-stop time.

Golden Blocks is also a great night dive. After dark the sand comes alive with blue-spotted stingrays, garden eels, and morays and octopus leave their holes to hunt between the coral heads. If you are staying in Dahab for a week, this is a site worth doing twice.

Golden Blocks dive map

The dive, step by step

1. Entry

   Walk in over shingle and sand at the Golden Blocks beach, then descend on the sandy slope at 5–8 m with seagrass on your right.

2. Out to the towers

   Head north-east with the reef on your left, dropping gently to 16–20 m until the two golden coral towers appear, wrapped in anthias and glassfish.

3. Gorgonian turn point

   Continue down the third sandy pathway to the big gorgonian sea fan at about 22 m. This is the deepest point of the standard dive; turn here.

4. Shallow coral blocks

   Work back up through the smaller coral blocks and table corals at 8–12 m, checking under the tables for groupers and in the cracks for morays.

5. Exit or drift

   Either return to the entry for a 5 m safety stop over the sand, or, with enough air and calm conditions, drift south along the reef to Moray Garden and exit there.

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Conditions

Max depth

22–25 m typical (recreational; slope continues past 30 m)

Dive time

50–60 min (up to 70 min as a drift to Moray Garden)

Current

Usually none to mild; occasional moderate current reported

Visibility

Typically 20–30 m

Best time

All year; ideal on windy days when the north is rough. Mornings have the best light; popular as a night dive

Requirements

Suitable for all levels, including Open Water students and Discover Scuba (shallow section)

What you'll see

• Two golden hard-coral towers covered in anthias
• Large gorgonian sea fan (~22 m)
• Glassfish
• Groupers under table corals
• Nudibranchs
• Moray eels
• Octopus (especially at night)
• Blue-spotted stingrays and garden eels on the sand
• Eagle rays and tuna passing in the blue

Guide's tips

• Usually quieter than the northern sites
• Good conditions on windy days
• Easy for newly certified divers

Snorkeling at Golden Blocks

A calm southern beach with a shallow sandy plateau, but the coral blocks the site is named for sit deeper on the slope, so snorkelers see less than divers.

Snorkeling guide →

Safety notes

• The slope keeps going well past 30 m beyond the gorgonian, so watch your computer and stay on the planned depth.
• The drift to Moray Garden makes for a long dive; agree a turn pressure and stick to it.
• Fire coral and stonefish/scorpionfish on the shallow reef: keep good buoyancy and don't touch or kneel on the bottom.
• Boat and snorkel traffic is light, but always surface with an SMB if you end up away from the entry.

Questions about Golden Blocks